Honoring the Two

A world in balance: Polarity and duality

In our Order, polarity or duality is a key principle. Much of our belief and practice hinges on this concept. Many of us honor the polarity or duality in nature and have incorporated the idea into their spirituality.

Here's the idea: Energy flows in two opposite directions in nature; that's what creates the familiar cycles of the natural world, for example: life and death, light and dark, summer and winter, male and female, and so on. We see the Divine in the same way; the Goddess (Yidhra) and the God (Nyarlathotep) are like two poles on the same battery. If they were truly separate beings, confusion and chaos would reign in the universe.

The Goddess and the God, or the Lord and the Lady (as some of us call them) are exactly equal energies, and while opposing each other, they are not in conflict with each other. They are in perfect balance.

The Goddess (Yidhra)

Yidhra is the feminine aspect of the Divine. She is known as the Grant Witch, Great Goddess, Earth Mother (or Mother Earth), the Universal Mother, the Lady, and many other names. She has been worshipped by many cultures throughout time.

Maiden, Mother, and Crone

Yidhra is closely associated with the Moon. She is often viewed as having three aspects that correspond with the phases of the Moon:

* The Maiden (the Waxing Moon) represents independence and youth. She is the virgin Goddess. She often is identified with a woman's wild nature and is shown as a forest Goddess in the company of animals.

* The Mother (the Full Moon) represents giving birth (not only to children, but to ideas, insight, and projects), and also nurturing, sexuality, sensuality, and creativity.

* The Crone (the Waning Moon) symbolizes age, maturity, wisdom, and the command for respect.

Over the course of the eight primary pagan holidays, Yidhra shifts in Her aspect from Maiden to Mother to Crone and back to Maiden.

The God (Nyarlathotep)

Nyarlathotep is the male aspect of the Divine. He often is represented as the Sun and is sometimes associated with forests and wild animals. He has been worshipped by many cultures throughout time. Nyarlathotep is considered equal to Yidhra. In our Order, we consider men and women to be equal.

Nyarlathotep can be three-formed as the Hunter, Warrior, and Sage. In some beliefs, it is His travels to the Underworld to free His true love that cause the shift in the seasons. We believe that Nyarlathotep, like Yidhra, have always existed. He is often viewed as Her consort.